NEWS RELEASE

 

For Immediate Release.

October 8, 2007

For More Information Contact:

Haley Hennes

Public Relations Director

858.663.9253

hhennes@elon.edu

 

THE OPEN DOOR CLINIC HELPS PREVENT ATTACK

 

ELON, N.C.—14-year-old Natasha wakes up with a stunned look on her face; she cannot breathe. Hyperventilating, she tries to reach over to her nightstand. She falls on the floor pulling the nightstand drawer with her. An asthma inhaler tumbles out. Rushing in the room, her mother Sheva frantically calls an ambulance; they are whisked away to the hospital. Sheva paces the halls of the waiting room outside surgery, praying that her baby will be okay. The surgeon walks in. “Natasha’s asthma attack caused her lung to collapse.” He says. “During the operation there was a lot of fluid in her lungs. She’s unconscious and may have sustained some brain damage; we can’t tell right now.” After hearing the news, Sheva collapses in a nearby chair, burden with not only an ill child but also the worry of how she is going to be able to afford the treatment because she, like 43.6% of Americans, is uninsured.

This is what might have happened if the Open Door Clinic did not exist. Sheva was able to take her daughter to the clinic on Tuesday night when Natasha, a sporadic asthma sufferer, began complaining of shortness of breath.

The clinic provides medical services for the uninsured of Alamance County. The Open Door provides two types of clinics: an acute and a chronic care. This allows patients to be treated not only for the common cold but also for on-going conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. On-going care is important in medical help. As a hospice worker, Sheva understands the importance of consistency in care.

The uninsured cannot afford to constantly be at the doctors. They often wait until it is absolutely vital to seek medical help. Sheva put it best by saying, “You worry about emergencies but you don’t worry about seeing the doctor.” Being in this type of situation causes the uninsured to have some of the most expensive and hardest to treat conditions. The Open Door Clinic provides an alternative to this kind of predicament. Through the Open Door Clinic, Sheva is able to seek help for Natasha before she has an actual attack.

            The Open Door Clinic operates because of the support from volunteers and donors. These individuals are concerned about those like Sheva. They understand that even hard workers like Sheva often do not have health insurance through their employers. Through their dedication and support, the Open Door Clinic is able to treat people like Natasha before their conditions become scary and life threatening.